and probably John Chen is looking at in which area he wants to invest how much, (as CEO, capital allocation is his job). with the cash in hand, probably the most efficient way to spend on R&D is to cherry pick small companies to build around blackberry's core advantages, like the ones he bought in 2014. ]]>
Mon, 30 Mar 2015 00:07:33 -0400agree, blackberry has fresh products, both hardware and software, it's time to sell them.

and probably John Chen is looking at in which area he wants to invest how much, (as CEO, capital allocation is his job). with the cash in hand, probably the most efficient way to spend on R&D is to cherry pick small companies to build around blackberry's core advantages, like the ones he bought in 2014. ]]>
Did BlackBerry's Profit Come At Too High Of A Cost?http://seekingalpha.com/article/3035536/comments?source=feed#comment-50618556
50618556this is the best question asked so far, about blackberry, in the last two quarters.

also the author's take is a surprise to me, in a sea of pessimism about blackberry. on the R&D and SG&A costs comparison by blackberry's own of different quarters and with those of Apple and Microsoft, blackberry spent less in the past quarter, and a small fraction compared to the giants. i guess the question is, how blackberry spent its money on R&D and SG&A?

i don't have an answer, and don't have resource to find the answer. and i don't know who has. so i will try to find the answer indirectly. are blackberry's products and services staying competitive, or not? can blackberry focus on the verticals it identifies and make a difference? in another word, health and growth, are what i will look very closely while i have a stake in blackberry stock. as long as in these two aspects blackberry are doing well, i stay in.

the quarterly splitting hair is a typical American thing, as far as i know, or i am told. i know a lot of investors are giving their management the leeway to focus on the horizon in a 10 year or even longer time frame. and imo, the companies backed by such investors and run by such management have advantages (over the ones that don't), and will win in the long run.]]>
Sun, 29 Mar 2015 22:19:14 -0400this is the best question asked so far, about blackberry, in the last two quarters.

also the author's take is a surprise to me, in a sea of pessimism about blackberry. on the R&D and SG&A costs comparison by blackberry's own of different quarters and with those of Apple and Microsoft, blackberry spent less in the past quarter, and a small fraction compared to the giants. i guess the question is, how blackberry spent its money on R&D and SG&A?

i don't have an answer, and don't have resource to find the answer. and i don't know who has. so i will try to find the answer indirectly. are blackberry's products and services staying competitive, or not? can blackberry focus on the verticals it identifies and make a difference? in another word, health and growth, are what i will look very closely while i have a stake in blackberry stock. as long as in these two aspects blackberry are doing well, i stay in.

the quarterly splitting hair is a typical American thing, as far as i know, or i am told. i know a lot of investors are giving their management the leeway to focus on the horizon in a 10 year or even longer time frame. and imo, the companies backed by such investors and run by such management have advantages (over the ones that don't), and will win in the long run.]]>
BlackBerry down 3.8% after posting surprise profit, but weak revenuehttp://seekingalpha.com/news/2395516?source=feed#comment-50596376
50596376it's market makers' call on the stock price's direction, especially for bbry. the longs here don't contribute 1 billionth of a cent to that I think.]]>
Sun, 29 Mar 2015 11:55:27 -0400it's market makers' call on the stock price's direction, especially for bbry. the longs here don't contribute 1 billionth of a cent to that I think.]]>
BlackBerry down 3.8% after posting surprise profit, but weak revenuehttp://seekingalpha.com/news/2395516?source=feed#comment-50596116
50596116exactly.]]>
Sun, 29 Mar 2015 11:49:49 -0400exactly.]]>
BlackBerry: No Major Surprises But Turnaround Will Take Timehttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3034936/comments?source=feed#comment-50595306
50595306Sun, 29 Mar 2015 11:28:58 -0400BlackBerry: No Major Surprises But Turnaround Will Take Timehttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3034936/comments?source=feed#comment-50595206
50595206"we're out of both right now."

I can understand getting out of aapl as I did the same thing. and I am not getting back to aapl any time soon since iWatch looks like not a hit to me. I rode aapl from 436 pre-split to 117.

about bbry, is it because you're a minority in the vote? other two freds say stay out?]]>
Sun, 29 Mar 2015 11:26:28 -0400"we're out of both right now."

I can understand getting out of aapl as I did the same thing. and I am not getting back to aapl any time soon since iWatch looks like not a hit to me. I rode aapl from 436 pre-split to 117.

about bbry, is it because you're a minority in the vote? other two freds say stay out?]]>
BlackBerry's Chen: Guidance Increasingly At Odds With Realityhttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3033956/comments?source=feed#comment-50555076
50555076his cross platform mobile software and services strategy is very similar to what Lou Gerstner's seeing the opportunity of helping customers run their servers and workstations it doesn't matter those are IBM or HP or anything else. and Lou Gerstner created a IBM service business which brings in far larger revenue than its server business.

in the coming quarters and years, i am more interested in hearing about blackberry's products and services portfolio development and revenue growth in its targeting verticals. the survival phase is at the rear view mirror, and i am not interested in hearing the arguments made by the shorts any more. myself will keep on flipping while maintaining a significant LEAPS call position.]]>
Sat, 28 Mar 2015 11:12:27 -0400his cross platform mobile software and services strategy is very similar to what Lou Gerstner's seeing the opportunity of helping customers run their servers and workstations it doesn't matter those are IBM or HP or anything else. and Lou Gerstner created a IBM service business which brings in far larger revenue than its server business.

in the coming quarters and years, i am more interested in hearing about blackberry's products and services portfolio development and revenue growth in its targeting verticals. the survival phase is at the rear view mirror, and i am not interested in hearing the arguments made by the shorts any more. myself will keep on flipping while maintaining a significant LEAPS call position.]]>
BlackBerry's Chen: Guidance Increasingly At Odds With Realityhttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3033956/comments?source=feed#comment-50553726
50553726BlackBerry and Apple are at the opposite stage, one is climbing out of its deepest hole in history another is at the maintain top of its own. their strategies and executions are totally not comparable. ]]>
Sat, 28 Mar 2015 10:43:05 -0400BlackBerry and Apple are at the opposite stage, one is climbing out of its deepest hole in history another is at the maintain top of its own. their strategies and executions are totally not comparable. ]]>
BlackBerry's Chen: Guidance Increasingly At Odds With Realityhttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3033956/comments?source=feed#comment-50551176
50551176Sat, 28 Mar 2015 09:40:03 -0400BlackBerry's Chen: Guidance Increasingly At Odds With Realityhttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3033956/comments?source=feed#comment-50550766
50550766who cares about the "low" iphone 6 specs? can the customer tell? the Apple logo is worth $500 by itself, be on iPhone 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. in that sense, Apple is putting money in customer's pocket selling them anything under $500.]]>
Sat, 28 Mar 2015 09:25:35 -0400who cares about the "low" iphone 6 specs? can the customer tell? the Apple logo is worth $500 by itself, be on iPhone 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. in that sense, Apple is putting money in customer's pocket selling them anything under $500.]]>
BlackBerry's Chen: Guidance Increasingly At Odds With Realityhttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3033956/comments?source=feed#comment-50549736
50549736look at the Crown Victoria P71/Grand Marquis/Towncar Cartier product line. they all have 5 wheels, 4 for running 1 for steering, and that's where their similarities stop.]]>
Sat, 28 Mar 2015 08:55:16 -0400look at the Crown Victoria P71/Grand Marquis/Towncar Cartier product line. they all have 5 wheels, 4 for running 1 for steering, and that's where their similarities stop.]]>
BlackBerry's Chen: Guidance Increasingly At Odds With Realityhttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3033956/comments?source=feed#comment-50548846
50548846the author of this article knows little about blackberry's business. he looks at blackberry through an Apple lens. between Apple and BlackBerry, even both companies are all making smart phones and mobile software, they are so different in almost all aspects from a business point of view. it can't be further from truth that they are competitors and being looked at in the same way. to some degree, blackberry and apple's business are complimentary. even in handset business, their customer bases simply don't overlap. a person likes BB handset usually hates iphone, and vise versa. and that's by their deepest nature they do that.]]>
Sat, 28 Mar 2015 08:26:32 -0400the author of this article knows little about blackberry's business. he looks at blackberry through an Apple lens. between Apple and BlackBerry, even both companies are all making smart phones and mobile software, they are so different in almost all aspects from a business point of view. it can't be further from truth that they are competitors and being looked at in the same way. to some degree, blackberry and apple's business are complimentary. even in handset business, their customer bases simply don't overlap. a person likes BB handset usually hates iphone, and vise versa. and that's by their deepest nature they do that.]]>
Cost cuts working at BlackBerry, but sales disappointhttp://seekingalpha.com/news/2395466?source=feed#comment-50492616
50492616i think they are doing the "just-in-time" manufacturing thing, zero, or close to zero inventory of handset. good or bad? i would say i am ok with it since blackberry handset has a special customer base (enterprise or diehard).]]>
Fri, 27 Mar 2015 09:52:16 -0400i think they are doing the "just-in-time" manufacturing thing, zero, or close to zero inventory of handset. good or bad? i would say i am ok with it since blackberry handset has a special customer base (enterprise or diehard).]]>
Cost cuts working at BlackBerry, but sales disappointhttp://seekingalpha.com/news/2395466?source=feed#comment-50491386
50491386211 x 0.3m = 63.3m

so device sales should be 340m?

blackberry books a sale when customer turns on service on that device. we turned on our Passport well after a month we got it. and i still has my second Z10 sitting in the box as a backup. when will blackberry recognize that revenue? never?]]>
Fri, 27 Mar 2015 09:37:30 -0400211 x 0.3m = 63.3m

so device sales should be 340m?

blackberry books a sale when customer turns on service on that device. we turned on our Passport well after a month we got it. and i still has my second Z10 sitting in the box as a backup. when will blackberry recognize that revenue? never?]]>
BlackBerry beats by $0.09, misses on revenuehttp://seekingalpha.com/news/2395386?source=feed#comment-50487836
50487836now it's investors to decide if they like this strategy or not. those who don't give benefit of doubt can take a hike, or throw in the towel, whatever. the rest can hold the bag, empty, half empty, or full, it's anyone's guess :))]]>
Fri, 27 Mar 2015 08:59:57 -0400now it's investors to decide if they like this strategy or not. those who don't give benefit of doubt can take a hike, or throw in the towel, whatever. the rest can hold the bag, empty, half empty, or full, it's anyone's guess :))]]>
BlackBerry: Even The Bulls Are Giving Up On Hardwarehttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3023946/comments?source=feed#comment-50413076
50413076"Btw I just added 30k shares at 9.29 today."

wow. I also refilled my whole flipping account at 9.51. the account was cleared at 11.50 due to last Samsung buyout rumor. looking to add more today and pick up some more 2017 ITM calls in my holding accounts.]]>
Thu, 26 Mar 2015 05:06:23 -0400"Btw I just added 30k shares at 9.29 today."

wow. I also refilled my whole flipping account at 9.51. the account was cleared at 11.50 due to last Samsung buyout rumor. looking to add more today and pick up some more 2017 ITM calls in my holding accounts.]]>
BlackBerry: Even The Bulls Are Giving Up On Hardwarehttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3023946/comments?source=feed#comment-50412936
50412936ha ha, this is exactly the reason that I am a bbry long in the first place, market cap of less than 1% of aapl's. imaging there are 100 BlackBerry companies in the world making all sorts of handsets and software and providing all sorts of mobile services. will Apple have a chance to compete with 100 current BlackBerry's at the same time? yeah, but that would be fun to watch though...]]>
Thu, 26 Mar 2015 04:53:54 -0400ha ha, this is exactly the reason that I am a bbry long in the first place, market cap of less than 1% of aapl's. imaging there are 100 BlackBerry companies in the world making all sorts of handsets and software and providing all sorts of mobile services. will Apple have a chance to compete with 100 current BlackBerry's at the same time? yeah, but that would be fun to watch though...]]>
BlackBerry: Even The Bulls Are Giving Up On Hardwarehttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3023946/comments?source=feed#comment-50408076
50408076Thu, 26 Mar 2015 00:07:13 -0400BlackBerry: Ignore Hardware, It's Time To Focus On Softwarehttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3021076/comments?source=feed#comment-50341636
50341636"It's just small right now, and it was only recently that BlackBerry has been committing to software as its future breadwinner."

Good insight.

"I'm hoping for hardware to stabilize. If it grows that will be great, ..."

Yes, it will.]]>
Wed, 25 Mar 2015 00:54:25 -0400"It's just small right now, and it was only recently that BlackBerry has been committing to software as its future breadwinner."

Good insight.

"I'm hoping for hardware to stabilize. If it grows that will be great, ..."

Yes, it will.]]>
BlackBerry: Ignore Hardware, It's Time To Focus On Softwarehttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3021076/comments?source=feed#comment-50341416
50341416And of course, security is the top priority for government and corporation. Security and hacking will grow side by side, just like cat and mouse, cop and criminal...]]>
Wed, 25 Mar 2015 00:45:56 -0400And of course, security is the top priority for government and corporation. Security and hacking will grow side by side, just like cat and mouse, cop and criminal...]]>
BlackBerry: Ignore Hardware, It's Time To Focus On Softwarehttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3021076/comments?source=feed#comment-50340626
50340626Wed, 25 Mar 2015 00:24:02 -0400BlackBerry: Even The Bulls Are Giving Up On Hardwarehttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3023946/comments?source=feed#comment-50338096
50338096Tue, 24 Mar 2015 23:05:19 -0400BlackBerry: Even The Bulls Are Giving Up On Hardwarehttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3023946/comments?source=feed#comment-50337046
50337046but why iphone hardware is flimsy (imo only of course) since Apple has unlimited resources? can Apple give its customer better hardware than Samsung? or HTC? ]]>
Tue, 24 Mar 2015 22:39:51 -0400but why iphone hardware is flimsy (imo only of course) since Apple has unlimited resources? can Apple give its customer better hardware than Samsung? or HTC? ]]>
Wake Up And Smell The BlackBerry: What MWC 2015 Means To The Bottom Linehttp://seekingalpha.com/article/2976606/comments?source=feed#comment-50173776
50173776for long term longs, we look at the direction the business is heading. health and growth. as long as these two things are better than ok, we are good.

quarterly fluctuations are really not a big deal. for myself, i take the opportunities to do some swing trades to make a few coins.

now comes the question, how do you gauge the health and growth of the business? everybody has their own answers... :)]]>
Sat, 21 Mar 2015 22:30:43 -0400for long term longs, we look at the direction the business is heading. health and growth. as long as these two things are better than ok, we are good.

quarterly fluctuations are really not a big deal. for myself, i take the opportunities to do some swing trades to make a few coins.

now comes the question, how do you gauge the health and growth of the business? everybody has their own answers... :)]]>
Microsoft: The $70 Lumia 430 Should Alarm Samsung And Googlehttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3018506/comments?source=feed#comment-50166476
50166476clean user interface. quick boot and shutdown. the system tasks look and feel similar to those on mobile device. those traditional system program interfaces are gone or hidden deep, deeply.

a few bugs, which are a little annoying, like dropping wireless connection all the time on both laptop and tablet. Firefox crashed once. now i grab the tablet on the screen at night, the screen came on. before needed to press the power button to turn it on. can't find the setting to change that.

and the power control icon is diagonally cross the screen from the start icon. it's very cumbersome to have to move the mouse cursor all the way to turn off the laptop. lack of consideration to users, imo.

and the lack of apps is still surprising. not sure where those traditional-programs turning-to-apps as promised. apps use touch screen and finger. traditional programs are designed for keyboard and mouse. still not the same animal without major tuning.

many times i wanted to wipe them and change back to win 8.1 or win 7. too lazy to do that.]]>
Sat, 21 Mar 2015 17:23:42 -0400clean user interface. quick boot and shutdown. the system tasks look and feel similar to those on mobile device. those traditional system program interfaces are gone or hidden deep, deeply.

a few bugs, which are a little annoying, like dropping wireless connection all the time on both laptop and tablet. Firefox crashed once. now i grab the tablet on the screen at night, the screen came on. before needed to press the power button to turn it on. can't find the setting to change that.

and the power control icon is diagonally cross the screen from the start icon. it's very cumbersome to have to move the mouse cursor all the way to turn off the laptop. lack of consideration to users, imo.

and the lack of apps is still surprising. not sure where those traditional-programs turning-to-apps as promised. apps use touch screen and finger. traditional programs are designed for keyboard and mouse. still not the same animal without major tuning.

many times i wanted to wipe them and change back to win 8.1 or win 7. too lazy to do that.]]>
Giving Away Free BlackBerry 10 OS To Android Phone Users Could Be Decisivehttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3015836/comments?source=feed#comment-50087736
50087736BB10 runs on cheaper hardware compared to the resource hog Android. That's one way to make money. Which Android phone maker makes money except Samsung? And even Samsung is trying to get its own OS and build its own ecosystem (not running more toy apps, but running on all sorts of hardware).

QNX runs an Android simulator is still the best setup from selling handset profitably point of view. That's the most realistic way for blackberry handset to make money.]]>
Fri, 20 Mar 2015 10:00:41 -0400BB10 runs on cheaper hardware compared to the resource hog Android. That's one way to make money. Which Android phone maker makes money except Samsung? And even Samsung is trying to get its own OS and build its own ecosystem (not running more toy apps, but running on all sorts of hardware).

QNX runs an Android simulator is still the best setup from selling handset profitably point of view. That's the most realistic way for blackberry handset to make money.]]>
BlackBerry's Latest Device Is A Samsung Tablethttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3005036/comments?source=feed#comment-50019316
50019316The author of the article pretty much gets it. BlackBerry has successfully turned its direction to what they supposed to be in the first place. The ship is largely fixed and starts picking up speed, steadily and stably. John Chen should be credited for his fast and steady hand.

I still see BlackBerry another 1993 IBM turnaround story in the making.]]>
Thu, 19 Mar 2015 09:25:17 -0400The author of the article pretty much gets it. BlackBerry has successfully turned its direction to what they supposed to be in the first place. The ship is largely fixed and starts picking up speed, steadily and stably. John Chen should be credited for his fast and steady hand.

I still see BlackBerry another 1993 IBM turnaround story in the making.]]>
BlackBerry's Latest Device Is A Samsung Tablethttp://seekingalpha.com/article/3005036/comments?source=feed#comment-50004886
50004886btw, are you in UK?]]>
Wed, 18 Mar 2015 22:45:01 -0400btw, are you in UK?]]>